Watching
by Wyrmskyld
Summary: Sirius is watching Remus, Remus is watching Sirius, James is watching them both, Lily is watching James, and Peter is watching the chessboard. Confused yet? I promise the story makes more sense.
1. Dear Diary

_**Wow... it feels like forever since I started a new fic! So... warnings... Don't read this if you don't like slash. Comprende?**_

_**Disclaimer: I don't own it. Duh.  
**_

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_16 January 1976_

_Dear diary,_

_I guess that's how these things are supposed to start, anyway. I've never had a diary before. I'm not sure what Wormtail was thinking when he gave it to me. I guess it's better than the pink fuzzy slippers Prongs got, though. Not that he minds, since Lily came down wearing a pair just like them Christmas morning. But anyway, it's been three weeks since Christmas, and frankly I don't know what to do with you. But, I'm sitting here watching Remus sleep off last night's full moon, so I thought I'd write down all my sappy thoughts in you. Aren't you lucky? _

_He's beautiful when he sleeps. Not that he isn't beautiful all the time, but when he sleeps, I can stare at him all I want. Only staring, though. I can't ever touch him. I'd lose him completely if I tried._

_His hair is what makes it hardest not to touch him. He laughs and calls it 'hair-colored hair,' but it's not like that at all. It's a light reddish golden brown, but to me, it looks like oak leaves in late fall. The dry ones that crunch under your feet and make everything smell like autumn. At least, it's that color until the sun hits it. _

_The moment sunlight touches his hair, it prisms into a rainbow of precious metals. Copper, bronze, gold, some indefinable color that's neither copper nor purple. Even a few strands of silver, from premature grey hairs. All together it forms a crown, a halo of the most delicate workmanship imaginable. And on top of the beauty, it's warm, soft as a cloud, and clings to your fingers. I know because I mussed his hair once, and it was all I could do to take my hand away. _

_Hands… his are long, and elegant. Covered with a lacework of barely-visible scars—and ink stains. He always manages to get ink on the index and middle fingers of his right hand. It's driven me mad ever since I first noticed it. Especially when he uses the scented ink that Wormtail got him for Christmas. I'm not sure what the little rat was thinking, giving such feminine gifts this year, but the ink's incredibly frustrating. Bad enough that I can't touch him, but now on top of it he smells like cinnamon buns… _

_Excuse me, diary. I need a moment to compose myself before I pounce him and start sucking his fingers. And possibly other body parts._

… _Okay, definitely other body parts. Come on, Padfoot, think pure thoughts. _

_Pure thoughts. Right. There are dark shadows under his eyes. The plaster under the left one makes him look even paler—last night was hard on him. Obviously, or he wouldn't still be asleep. Or maybe he doesn't want to wake up. He's smiling a little, like he's having good dreams. I wonder if I'm in them. I love being the one who brings a smile to those lips. They're a little on the thin side until he smiles. Then they're perfect. But he doesn't smile often enough._

_He just shifted, and the sheets fell away. It's January, which means it's roasting in here. The house elves are always overenthusiastic about the fires in our dorm, for some reason. Not that I'm complaining… I like sleeping shirtless. And I love it when he sleeps shirtless. It's the only time I get to see this much skin. I'll never understand why he's so ashamed of his body. It's beautiful, scars and all. Or maybe especially the scars. They're a part of what he is, of why he's himself, and that makes them beautiful. _

_It feels so intimate to watch him like this, while he's asleep. Most people would never guess that he's so muscular, for example. They never get to see past the secondhand clothes and the shyness to the real Moony. I wonder how many of the girls he tutors in arithmancy know that he comes up with most of our pranks. All the really good ones, anyway. And he never gets caught at it. Plus he manages to pull our asses out of the fire most of the time._

_His eyelids are fluttering. That's the cue for me to stop watching. I can't let him know I've been watching. There are too many questions there that I don't know how to answer. If I tell the truth, he'll never speak to me again, but I can't lie. Not to Remus. I'm absolutely incapable of looking into those beautiful eyes and lying. _

_I can't look into his eyes at all, lately. I'm afraid of what I might see, or worse, what I might not see. Or what he might see. If he knew I loved him, what would he do? Reciprocate? Refuse to ever speak to me again? Pity me? No matter what, things will change between us, and odds are it won't be for the better. At worst, he'll hate me. I think I'd die if I saw hatred in those eyes. Some people call them golden… but gold is just a metal, and cold. His eyes are more like honey, or amber. Yes. Amber. Tears of the gods, with an inner glow and unfathomable depths. Eyes to drown in, only I can't let myself fall in… _

_But he's getting up now, and I don't want him asking what I'm reading, so I'll put you away for now._

"Good morning, Moony."

_**Now, review, or I won't post more!**_


	2. Waking Up

**_Wow. Less than 24 hours, and I've already got 14 reviews. You people ROCK! I wasn't going to post this chapter until tomorrow or the next day, but… 14 reviews! It makes me giddy and dance around like an idiot. Cookies and ice cream for all of you!_**  
_**Suzie: **I'm updating, I'm updating!  
**The Unknown Marauder: **Beginnings are easy. It's endings that are tricksy.  
**uknowho: **And once again Voldemort is reading my fics. Hey… if I get you hooked on my fics, does that mean you'll turn away from the dark side?  
**Desanges: **Is this soon enough? It's sooner than I intended, certainly._  
**_sesshomaruhasafluffytail: _**_I'm posting, I'm posting! Pleasedon'thurtme! And incidentally, his tail is fluffy, isn't it?_  
**_Schmigzer: _**_As I already have several chapters written, continuing isn't going to be a problem._  
_**Mindez: **Slashiness is our friend.  
**nayla: **I'll keep going with it, I promise. As I told Schmigzer, I've got a few chapters written, and I know exactly how it's going to end.  
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**_thrills: _**_In my opinion, well-written shonen-ai is always sweet. And listen to me bragging about my own writing.  
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**Reyna: **The rest of it is coming, I promise. And it'll probably come faster the less you think pure thoughts. (evilgrins)  
**BookwormRose: **Really? I think he's very emotional. And anything is poetic when the emotions in it come through. Thank you muchly for the compliment. I hope the rest will hold up as well.  
**Becky Silver Black: **I have a fangirl! Huzzah!_

**_Okay, now for the less-fun bits. Warning: This fic contains slash. If you don't like it, please feel free to flame me. Of course, you may expect to receive your flame back graded for grammar, spelling, and creativity. Also, the disclaimer: I don't own anything. Don't sue me._**

While Sirius wrote in his diary, Remus lay in bed apparently asleep. Only apparently, though. He never slept very well in the twenty four hours after the full moon, but he was too weary to move, and simply lay bonelessly on the bed. 'He's doing it again. Watching me.'

The werewolf often felt eyes watching him on mornings like this, and he knew who they belonged to. Sirius's bed was just next to his—he was the only one who could watch so intently without having to move to an awkward and obvious position. But Remus knew he was being watched. Remus doubted even his best friends knew how keen his senses were, especially this close to the full moon. He could feel the changing air currents as his friend pulled out the diary, could smell the new-paper scent, could hear Sirius's changing heartbeat.

Why did Sirius watch him like this? It wasn't hostile watching. The part of him that was wolf would have felt the hostility. This was something indefinable, or at least too complex to determine even with his augmented senses. Whatever it was, it wasn't unpleasant. Quite the contrary, in fact—the knowledge that Sirius was watching over him made him feel safe and warm. Too warm in places. It was a good thing the sheets were rucked up around his waist concealingly. He smiled slightly, then faced the question that troubled him most.

'I wonder if he knows… about me.' Sirius would have said something if he knew, right? Or would he just act like nothing had changed? 'If he knows, he's sending the 'just friends' signal, which is better than I'd feared. But if he doesn't know… I can't tell him. I'd lose my best friend. But I want him for more than a friend. I want him so much…'

Remus took a deep breath, breaking the cycle of desire and despair before it got started. He knew from experience that he'd work himself into a blue funk of depression if he kept on that train of thought. And then Sirius would try to snap him out of it, which involved lots of teasing and spontaneous hugs on the animagus's part, and lots of discomfort and cold showers for his friend.

Speaking of showers… Remus needed one. He could smell the dust, blood, and dried sweat that was always his scent after the full moon. Not as much blood now as before his friends became animagi, though. The werewolf suspected that had been Sirius's idea. It was like the raven-haired boy to come up with plans that were kind and thoughtful while being dangerous and illegal at the same time.

Sirius wasn't looking at Remus when the werewolf opened his eyes. Remus hadn't expected him to be. Reluctantly he crawled out of bed, stretching away the kinks from his transformation. The animagus didn't seem to notice him until after he'd pulled on a robe, covering both his shirtlessness and a certain awkward problem lower down.

"Good morning, Moony," Sirius closed the journal casually, and Remus suppressed a desire to push away the obsidian lock of hair that fell into those silver-grey eyes. That action would inevitably lead to getting lost in those same eyes. And probably kissing the smiling lips. And then never having Sirius speak to him again.

"Morning, Padfoot." Remus paused for a jaw-cracking yawn. "I'm off to the showers. See you at breakfast."

'He can't possibly know. Thank Merlin.'

_**Poor Moony and Padfoot… Don't y'all feel sorry for them? Just wait 'til next chapter when James gets into the act.**_


	3. Studying

_**I'm posting this story much faster than I meant to. I had a nice buffer built up and everything—it'll be gone in no time at this rate. But you people are so cool! 13 reviews for chapter 2, and lots of you are going on and reading my other stuff. I can't hold out on you! **_

**_Merci, mes beaux critiques!_**

_**Anonymous: **I'm glad._

_**Sunny Moonlight: **Of course they get together in the end. I'm not THAT cruel. Usually. And you'll see how James comes in in this chapter._

_**Tanya J. Potter: **I definitely aim for sweetness, so thanks!_

_**The Unknown Marauder: **You've read them all? Joy! Cookies and ice cream for you!_

_**Desanges: **I'm a sucker for flattery, you know… And of course I'll keep it up! Especially when I have lovely reviewers who boost my ego so much!_

_**Lieu of Flowers: **-Huggles back- In my opinion, it just keeps getting cuter in later chapters._

_**The Naz: **Sirius is always cute! And your theory about Peter has merit, but I always figured Voldie didn't get to him 'til after Hogwarts, so… keep the first question in mind, but you can ignore the last one._

_**sesshomaruhasafluffytail: **Yaaay! I'm not going to be hurt! (And actually I don't watch Inuyasha that often. But I do love the manga.)_

_**Becky Silver Black: **CHOCOLATE! You've been talking to my friends, obviously. That's the only possible way you could know my weakness. _

_**uknowho: **Well, then, wait no more! Here he is!_

_**Reyna: **Well, blue funks taste better than puce ones, so… And really, would you rather have short and often, or long and slow updates?_

_**BookwormRose:** Touchy subjects are the most fun to write about. And it just makes me feel all fuzzy and happy to have reviews. Lets me know that people really like what I'm writing._

_**Phoenixtear19:** Cute is good. And like I say, I have a buffer... so I should be able to keep updating fast. Although I may slow down to every other day._

_**Hmm… lemme see… I don't own it, flames are welcome, review because it makes me smile. Oh, yeah, and m/m relationship warning.**_

They were doing it again. Playing the 'I'm not looking at you' game. It drove James mad. Remus was staring now, peering over the top of his book with a longing, mournful gaze. James checked his watch. In exactly thirty-two seconds, Sirius would look up, Moony's eyes would go unfocused as if he'd been pondering a point in his book, and then it would be Padfoot's turn to watch the lighter-haired boy until Peter got impatient for Sirius's next chess move.

James checked the room to see if Lily had come down for their study session yet. On Remus's advice, he'd sought her out at the beginning of the year and apologized to her for pestering her for the past five years, then humbly asking if they could start over. She'd been suspicious at first, but when he'd promised to stop asking her out—and kept that promise, difficult as it had been—the redhead's demeanor toward him had warmed considerably. She even called him 'James' now instead of 'Potter,' and they could hold actual conversations. Of course, he had no idea how not asking her out was going to get her to go out with him… He'd have to ask Remus about that part. Thinking about the werewolf, his eyes traveled over to the other boy to find him staring intently at his book while Sirius took his turn at watching.

Not for the first time, the messy-haired boy wished he'd covered his ears when Sirius had started talking in his sleep over the summer. Having his best friend move into one of the Potter guest rooms had been great, but it meant he learned things about his friend that could have remained secret. James hadn't been bothered by the knowledge that Padfoot was in love with Moony, and he'd been ecstatic for his friend upon deducing that the emotion was reciprocated.

Now the problem was trying to get them together when neither of them would admit there was anything going on! James had tried to subtly question both of them, and subtlety didn't come easily to him. He was the kind of person who wore his heart on his sleeve. No one ever needed to ask how James felt about something—they just looked at him and knew. He had no idea how to get people to confess emotions they were trying to keep hidden.

Frowning, James pulled out parchment and began to write.

_1. 'Love' letters_

_2. Take them each aside and tell them they like each other and to do something about it._

_3. Blind date_

_4. Lock them in a closet together until they work things out_

Stumped for further strategies, James sat back and studied his list. It was a lot shorter than he'd hoped it would be. The first idea wouldn't work at all—they were too likely to compare notes beforehand. He crossed it out while running a hand through his hair thoughtfully.

Talking to them wasn't impossible, of course. But Sirius would laugh it off and tell James he was imagining things. And he had no idea whatsoever of how to approach Remus about it. He could never predict how the werewolf would react to personal questions like that.

The blind date would only work if he talked to one of them first… Maybe if he talked to Sirius and got him to agree? But they'd never been able to set Remus up on a blind date. Or any kind of date, for that matter. Which made sense, now that James knew who his friend's real interest was.

The fourth option was looking better by the moment. Except that they'd both be out to get him afterward. James ran both hands through his hair, scowling at the paper. Lily was always setting up her friends with boys, how did she do it without getting killed?

Now there was an idea. Maybe Lily could help him come up with a plan… No. He'd have to tell her who he was trying to set up, and they obviously wanted it to be a secret. Really it was amazing more people hadn't figured it out. It must just be because he was around them so much that nobody knew. And Peter was oblivious to just about everything except his chessboard ever since he'd discovered that chess was something he was actually good at.

No, James would just have to get them together himself. Maybe veritaserum in Remus's pumpkin juice…

_**Next chapter: Lily gets involved!**_


	4. Revelations

**_I've gotten 18 reviews on this story since I last updated. 18! All of you get cookies and ice cream! You're making me feel guilty for taking more than a day to update this time!_**

_**leafyaki: **Thankyou! -hands over an update-_

_**lizzya: **MORE!_

_**Desanges: **Sorry I kept you waiting, then. –Sprinkles some extra suspense on this chapter-_

_**Tanya J. Potter: **It's fun to update. I sit at my computer and pounce on all the email notifications that tell me I have reviews._

_**TrunkZy:** Fluff is fun. And this is my first piece that's fluff without a bit of angst in. And I don't plan on stopping my writing soon, so I think you'll see more. Yay favorites list! It's so comfy!_

_**Becky Silver Black: **Just for my No. 1 fan, here's some of the greatest ice cream in the world. –Hands over Ben & Jerry's Dublin Mudslide-._

_**Lieu of Flowers: **James doing just about anything is funny. Although I did enjoy coming up with hare-brained schemes for him. Or rather, deer-brained._

_**BookwormRose: **Kudos! -Throws them in the air and dances around giggling-_

_**keisan: **Of course Lily will help. Boys are never as good at setting people up as girls are._

_**The Naz: **I'm not sure how clichéd the end scheme is going to be. But it won't exactly be anything on his list._

_**uknowho: **I don't like seeing them sad, either, but it's kinda fun with all the irony going on, so I guess I'll forgive myself._

_**HanSolosGal: **Leia? Wow! Apparently my fic's being read long long ago in a galaxy far far away! _

_**gatermage: **Mweheh. Another slash convert. … And knocking them over the head is actually a pretty good idea. I'll take it under advisement. But Lily's coming to take things in hand, so we know everything will turn out alright._

_**sexyteluguchica: **I'm glad you like it, and the projected length is nine chapters, so five more after this one._

_**The Unknown Marauder:** I know I'm evil. Mweheheh. In fact, the other night I took four different D&D alignment tests, and ended up as chaotic evil every time. Muahahahahahahaha! But here I've made you wait almost two days for the next chapter! See? Evil!_

_**sesshomaruhasafluffytail: **There might be closets involved. We're not sure yet._

**_Soooo many reviews! It makes me happy! So… mild slash warning, reviews welcome, flames welcome, I don't own it, and on to the fic!_**

Lily was late. She hated being late, even to a study session with… James. It was hard to remember not to call him Potter, the habit was so ingrained in her. She had to admit that he'd improved a lot this year, though. Not once this year had he asked her out. It was really almost depressing.

Wait. She was not depressed that Potter hadn't asked her out. No. She was _glad_ about it! Wasn't she? Shocked at the thought, Lily paused just inside the common room and studied her study partner. He was leaning over a scrap of parchment writing something. A thoughtful frown painted a line between his brows, and his left hand mussed his hair as it always did when he was thinking or flirting. Although he hadn't flirted with her all year…

Surprised that James didn't seem to notice her presence, the redhead moved closer to him until she was looking over his shoulder. His hair was so dark it seemed to absorb the light around it, and it was all she could do to keep from burying her hands in it to find out if it was as soft as it looked. Lily froze. It was true, then. She, Lily Evans, was falling for James Potter. The girls would never let her hear the end of this.

Searching for a distraction, Lily's eyes lit on the parchment that James was scribbling on. "Veritaserum in their pumpkin juice? What are you up to, James?"

She smirked when the boy nearly fell out of his chair and frantically tried to cover the parchment. "I… It's not a prank, if that's what you're thinking."

"Then what is it?" Now Lily was curious. And she wanted to take advantage of the newfound realization that she liked James. Leaning over him momentarily, she snatched up his list and read it while he turned red and tried to stammer out an explanation. "It looks to me, like you're trying to play matchmaker. So who's the lucky couple?"

It was amazing that she'd never noticed how cute James was before. Especially when he was nervous. His hands went through his hair and he looked around the room to make sure nobody was listening to them. When he finally spoke, his voice was slow, hesitant, as if he was choosing his words carefully. "Remus… is in love. And I know that his crush likes him back. But neither of them is going to be the first to act, so I'm trying to figure out how to get them together."

That was so unlike her mental image of James that Lily was shocked. Her gaze traveled over to Remus, who was still buried in his book. She liked the bookish Marauder, although she often questioned his choice in friends. He was always a perfect gentleman, though, and ever-willing to tutor anyone on any subject. He didn't look particularly lovesick, though, until he looked up from his book. Then his face transformed into a study of resigned infatuation that made Lily feel guilty for watching.

To at least make the guilt worthwhile, Lily followed Remus's gaze. Green eyes widened. Her jaw dropped, forming her mouth into an 'o' of surprise. James caught her bag as it slipped from suddenly nerveless fingers, and the next thing she knew they were both in the hallway. She let herself be guided into the empty classroom where they usually practiced charms and transfiguration, then sat heavily in a chair.

"You never did say that Remus's crush was male, did you?" Lily wasn't disturbed by the fact that Remus liked boys. Really she couldn't say that it even surprised her. But that Remus liked Sirius… And James had said… "Sirius is gay?"

"I don't know if he's gay, but… if you watch the two of them long enough, you'll notice that whenever Remus isn't mooning over Sirius, Sirius is gazing longingly at Remus." The bespectacled boy seemed to be regaining his confidence with the knowledge that Lily wasn't disgusted by the information. Her expression must have been skeptical, because he laughed. "I didn't believe it at first, either, but all you have to do is watch them for an hour, and you'll see."

Lily had always held one count in James's favor. He had never once lied to her. And since she doubted he'd changed that habit… "I believe you. But why are you trying to get them together. I can't imagine Black seeing someone he wanted and not going for them right off."

"I think they're both afraid of messing things up." James ran a hand through his hair. His voice had gone back to the slow thoughtful tone that told Lily he was choosing his words carefully. "Siri's family is…"

"Dysfunctional? Abusive? Evil? Spawn of Satan? Death Eater central?" She smirked inwardly at the shocked expression her bluntness produced. So he thought she was all sweetness and light, hmm?

"Yes, that sums it up pretty well. Although from what I've seen, you're going pretty easy on them." Oh, how she loved that grin. The one that said 'we understand each other.' She wanted a chance to admire that grin, but he was frowning again now, and continuing.

"Remus, Peter and I… Well, Sirius thinks of us as his family. If one of us stopped talking to him, stopped caring about him… I don't want to think about what he'd do. It might kill him. It might drive him insane. I don't know, but it wouldn't be good." James paused for breath, obviously thinking. "He's especially dependent on Remus. Sirius and I are brothers and best friends, but he confides in Remus. There's always been something special between them. Something more. Remus is the only person Sirius can spend time with and not have to be talking or doing something. They don't have to talk when they're together. It's just enough that they are together. I don't know how else to explain."

Lily was blown away. She was learning all sorts of things tonight about the Marauders. And about James. Before this year she never would have believed he could be so observant. Even having been studying with him since September hadn't led her to suspect this. Now that she thought, though, this _was_ the longest serious conversation she'd ever had with him that didn't involve schoolwork. A slow smile spread across her face. "Then they obviously need to be together. And after seeing your list, I don't trust you to do it right on your own. Here's what we're going to do…"

_**Wow. Guess what! That was the longest chapter in this fic so far. And will probably remain the longest. Enjoy it while it lasts. **_


	5. Spectrum

**_60 reviews! Woohoo! I'll tell you the truth, I've basically been sitting on the edge of my seat waiting for number 60 before I posted this chapter. Mweheheh. But! 14 reviews since last posting! Although someone's a chapter behind. –cough-Reyna-cough-. It's okay, though. I love you anway._**

_**UnSeriousSirius: **I love painting pictures with words. I'm a very visual person, and I like showing people what's in my head. _

_**writerauthorguy: **I'm writing, I'm writing!_

_**Desanges: **Suspense is fun! And it's not like I take months to update!_

_**S.c.ou.s.er.4.li.f.e: **My writing is like McDonalds!_

_**sesshomaruhasafluffytail: **Good is good. And any review makes me happy, no matter how short!_

_**Briryan: **Well here it is! The next chapter!_

_**Tanya J Potter: **What's next? It's funny you should ask that. There are four chapters of this fic after it's finished, and then I'm going to divide my time between the sequel to Boy Who Lived: Take Two, and another fic that I've been working on for awhile._

_**gatermage: **It's my contention that Remus/Sirius is the only m/m coupling in HP fanficdom that actually makes sense._

_**Reyna: **Bad bad Reyrey. We'll have to punish it! This makes two chapters it's late for! But I'm glad I got you interested in James/Lily! They're such a cute couple._

_**BookwormRose: **Lily's scheme is revealed in the next chapter. But meanwhile, have some cute fluffiness!_

_**phoenixtear19: **Everybody's loving it. Although I hope my fic is healthier than McDonald's food. I know it's better tasting._

_**Becky Silver Black: **I'm writing as fast as I can, honest! -Shares icecream-_

_**The Unknown Marauder: **I'm not the one who recommended demonsblade, but having read her stuff, it's awesome! Everyone read demonsblade! And the__ quiz at www.neppyman. tells you your alignment, race, and primary/secondary classes. I happen to be a chaotic evil elven ranger-bard.  
_

_**And last… drumroll… Reviewer number 60! It's… it's… it's… Lestat! Who doesn't even like Harry Potter, but does like my writing! Yaay Lestatle! -Doesn't care that the review's not on Or that lestat's only read the first chapter. It's a review!-  
**_

**_Don't own it, there's slash, and review damn your eyes! Thanks to Valesse for letting me steal the orchideous charm from her! And bonus points for anyone who gets a song stuck in their head reading this!_**

Remus was using that ink again. Sirius, sitting next to him, was distracted out of his mind. He adored cinnamon. Cinnamon buns, cinnamon toast, his friends all knew better than to get between him and anything flavored with the stuff, and here Remus was with splotches of it all over his fingers. Sirius knew he couldn't keep sitting there. If he did, the temptation to see if Remus's fingers tasted like cinnamon would be too much, and he didn't trust himself not to go further. Too far.

The last straw came when the amber-eyed boy put down his quill and brushed the hair out of his face before stretching out the kinks in his shoulders. As always, the movement attracted Sirius's eye, and he lost himself in a purely aesthetic appreciation of Moony's beauty. The way the slim muscles moved under the white button-up shirt was entrancing, as was the way his hair fell just so… and then Sirius saw them. Two smears of that peculiar golden-brown ink on his face—one on the temple, nearly hidden by hair, and the other on his earlobe. So tempting…

The ebony-haired boy got up with a growl of frustration and a feeble excuse about the common room being too loud. Stumbling into the dorm, he was rather surprised to see James there. His friend had been spending most of his time lately with Lily. Obviously Remus's advice in that department was paying off. Sirius found himself wishing he could go to Remus for advice on _his_ problem. Remus always knew what to do.

Damn. He'd come upstairs to get the far too beautiful Moony off his mind, but his mind wasn't cooperating. Sirius collapsed on his bed with a groan. James either didn't notice him, or was ignoring him, which suited Sirius's mood perfectly. Burying his face in the pillow, he allowed himself to daydream about Remus, imagining in detail how his friend would look right before their lips met. Or what kind of noises the werewolf would make as Sirius sucked the ink off his ear.

No. No, no, no, no, no. He had to stop this. Sirius sat up, intending to read a quidditch magazine, but James's soft cursing caught his attention. Drawing closer, he saw a rather large pile of weeds beside his friend's bed, and an ugly bouquet of very dead flowers in James's hands. "Prongs, mate… what are you _doing_?"

"Charms homework, Padfoot. Remember? _Orchideous_?" The boy on the bed repeated the word and gestured with his wand. And came up with another fistful of ragweed. He didn't seem pleased when his friend responded to the failure with mirth.

"You should give that to Evans! She'd love it!" Sirius barely managed to duck the handful of weeds that came his way. Producing his own wand, Sirius murmured 'orchideus,' and smirked as he came up with an elegant bouquet of black roses and blood-red poppies. "You're not using enough wrist when you swish. You've got to pretend you're flaming gay."

Obviously skeptical, James tried it, and looked sourly at the perfect bunch of tigerlilies in his hand. "Okay, so it works."

"Good! That means we can plot against Snivellus!" Sirius jumped onto the bed beside his friend, grinning eagerly.

"I can't. I've got a study session with Lily in half an hour." The excuse didn't quite ring true to Sirius. James had never really needed to study very much before. Only in Charms and Potions. All other classes came to him easily, but lately he'd been spending every free moment with the green-eyed girl, conspiring and grinning. Suddenly it occurred to Sirius to resent her intrusion.

"You're _always_ 'studying' with her lately. You haven't even asked Remus how he is after the last full moon. Obviously Evans is more important to you than your friends."

James knew that Sirius was apt to say things he didn't mean when he was disappointed or stressed. Sirius knew that James knew that. Ordinarily the shorter boy would have shrugged off the incident until his friend came and apologized, but that didn't happen this time. The remark hit too close to home, and James was stung. "I'm surprised you've noticed me spending time with Lily. It must've been a real challenge to stop staring at Moony long enough to see us. Why don't you just go snog him and get it over with?"

Sirius's pale face turned an even whiter shade of pale. Silver-grey eyes lost focus as frantic thoughts ran around his mind like a mouse caught in a jar. 'James knows. Oh, fuck, what if Remus knows? Remus can't know! He'll hate me! Who else knows? What if they tell him? What if…' The hysterical spiral was broken by a stinging slap on his cheek. James was eyeing him in concern, his glasses askew and a look in his eyes that was part guilt and part mischief.

"Sorry I had to hit you, but you were about to go hysterical." The mischief became more pronounced as James continued. "And I'm sorry I snapped at you. It's just… well, I'll explain that later."

The mischievous look had Sirius puzzled, but there were more important things on his mind. Things like, "How did you know? And… who else knows?"

"You talk in your sleep." Before Sirius's horrified eyes could turn to the bed right next to his, James laughed and shook his head. "Not here. At home. You don't do it if there's anyone in the room, but the wall between our rooms isn't very thick. And for your second question, only one other person has figured it out that I know of, and that's Lily."

"But Lily and Remus are friends… what if she tells him?" Sirius rubbed his hands together, trying to disguise the fact that his palms were sweaty from fear. James seemed to be taking this surprisingly well. Much better than Sirius had expected him to. He was even smiling, and wrapping an arm around his friend's shoulder.

"Lily won't tell him. But we both think you should." James grinned evilly. "After all, we've been spending every spare moment for the past few days working on a plot to get the two of you together. The least you could do is thank us."

"Thank you? Wait. You're setting us up… You mean you think Remus likes me?" Sirius felt light, as if he was about to float away. Could Moony really feel the same way he did? It sounded too good to be true.

"I think he likes you. And Lily thinks he likes you. And I'm late to meet her…" James left, but Sirius barely noticed. He was bouncing around the room in glee, listening to the voices in his head. They sounded like James and Lily, and they were chanting 'he likes you.'

_**-Skips the light fandango for anyone who got the song reference.- But look! Sirius is happy! Don't you just want to hug him? He's so cute! Next chapter, we find out what Lily and James are up to. Mweheheh.**_


	6. Escape

**_Sorry 'bout the slowness. Heh. Slowness. As if it's been more than two days. But I had a test yesterday in my Cherokee class. I passed, incidentally! Woohoo! Still, extra-long chapter to make up for it. And, reviews! I've gotten 15 since last chapter! Whee!_**

_**BookwormRose: **The plot comes to light in this chapter. And yes, I'm afraid the story shall end soon. But don't worry, I'm not going to stop writing! Oh, and you should be grateful. This fic was originally going to be only 5 chapters long. Instead you get 9 chapters!_

_**The Naz: **I think their plot's rather good, myself. And hopefully not too terribly clichéd._

_**Reyna: **Yay butterflies. Even if you are still a chapter behind. But you know I wouldn't tease you about that if I didn't love you. Maybe you can shoot for 80? Or 90?_

_**give em enough rope: **Pfft. You think that's bad? My inner demons sound like James Bond, Remus, Willy Wonka, and Captain Jack Sparrow. It's complete madness in there. Sexy madness, but madness nonetheless. And actually the song's Whiter Shade of Pale by Procol Harum. Although it's a classic, and other people have done covers of it._

_**shady gurl: **Cute is good!_

_**UnSerious Sirius: **Like I told give em, Sirius can't hold a candle to me. And you wouldn't believe what it's like when I've had a few drinks. Oi._

_**sexyteluguchica: **Well, here's soon, and this chapter is longer, but… quite frankly I'm cranking out a chapter a day. Any longer and I'd lose interest, leaving you without anything to read. So I'm afraid they'll have to stay shortish._

_**The Unknown Marauder: **I admire her. I hate writing dialogue. Haaaaaate. I'm always afraid I'll get repetitive and boring. Plus I'm not too clear on the grammar rules for writing dialogue. Which wouldn't bother most people, but does bother me._

_**S.c.ou.s.er.4.li.f.e: **I couldn't agree more. Although I haven't eaten in McDonalds in… years upon years. _

_**gatermage: **But… Remus is already the sensible one. But don't worry, he'll see the light soon enough._

_**sesshomaruhasafluffytail: **I like it, too. Although my mind twisted it more to incomprehensible moaning. But then, I like incomprehensible moaning._

_**mo-chan niimura: **Yes, I'm afraid this is a short story while I'm collecting myself for future endeavors. I'm glad you like it, though! Maybe you'll enjoy my past and future stories?_

_**uknowho: **Yes, your Dark Lordness! Making Remus happy right away, sir! _

_**Tanya J Potter: **Hehe, aren't you looking forward to what they do with the knowledge?_

_**Becky Silver Black: **They're going to get together… erm… soon! Can I have more ice cream and chocolate now? -Big puppy eyes-_

_**Aaaand now for all that fun stupid stuff that you already know but that I have to say anyway: Not mine, please review, and slash/shonen ai/yaoi/etc warning. **_

Something fishy was going on. Remus didn't know exactly what, but there was something off about this whole excursion. For one thing, James was the only one who knew where they were going. Sirius and Remus had been in the common room, ganging up on Peter at chess—and still losing—when James had bounced into the room, insisting that there was something they just _had_ to see.

Peter had opted to stay with his chessboard, but the others were all too glad for an excuse to escape defeat. So glad that they hadn't asked where they were going, or why. Or, for that matter, why James didn't think it necessary to bring the invisibility cloak to come half way across the school. They'd finally worked out the bugs in the Marauders' Map, but that didn't solve the problem of where they were supposed to hide if someone was coming.

Remus froze, his preternatural hearing detecting footsteps other than theirs. He hissed at James to check the map. A quick glance at the parchment later, and James was hustling them into the nearest closet with the murmured explanation, "It's Lily."

Leaning against the closet wall, Remus closed his eyes and listened to the footsteps getting closer. The closet they were in seemed rather large—James's breathing was at least an arm's length away. Reaching out to touch his friend's shoulder, Remus's hand encountered… door. James was still outside! And Lily was turning the corner! This was going to ruin James's chances with her. She'd never believe Prongs wasn't pranking… she was saying something…

"Hi, James! Did you get them in there?" Lily didn't sound surprised, or upset. In fact, she sounded… cheerful.

James laughed. "Oh, ye of little faith. Of course they're in there. And I got their wands."

Remus automatically reached for his wand. It wasn't there. A muffled curse next to him proved that Sirius had just discovered the same thing. Both of them lunged for the doorknob, eliciting a chuckle from outside when even their combined efforts couldn't turn it. The mirth apparently made Sirius frantic, because he struggled with the door handle harder, snarling. "James Inigo Potter, let us out NOW!"

"Nope. The door is charmed shut, courtesy of Lily, so there's no way you'll break the spell. The only way to get out is to figure out why we locked you in there in the first place." James seemed to find their predicament amusing, and Remus definitely heard Lily giggling. "Don't worry, though. We made sure you'll have everything you need, and it's only Friday night, so you've got all weekend to solve the riddle."

Lily muttered something, and candles lit around the room. It was a bit on the large side for a closet, but too small to be any other kind of room. And too small for Remus's comfort if he was going to share it with Sirius. It was almost impossible to move without brushing against the other boy. Sirius kept yelling imprecations at the door while Remus took inventory and listened to James and Lily walking away.

Two squashy armchairs, a pile of pillows and blankets—there was just enough room on the floor for them to both stretch out. Remus felt himself blushing at the thought, but candlelight was forgiving. And romantic, but he hurriedly pushed that idea out of his mind. Rounding out the room was a small table laden with food and a second door, which revealed a tiny bathroom when opened. Obviously James and Lily intended them to be here awhile.

"You might as well give up, Padders. They're gone." Remus curled up in one of the chairs, trying not to think about how much he hated enclosed spaces. Sirius turned toward him and collapsed into the other chair with a groan. The flickering light cast a soft golden glow across the animagus's face, and turned his hair into a haze of shadows. Suddenly it wasn't claustrophobia that tightened Remus's chest, and he closed his eyes out of fear that they'd give away his emotions.

Taking a few deep breaths, he tried to calm himself and think rationally, which led to problems right away. Rationally, everything about this scenario pointed toward a romantic setting. Which meant that James and Lily knew how he felt, and were trying to get him to admit it. Which meant that they thought Sirius might feel the same way. But that couldn't be. Sirius was just… being Sirius. He'd always been the most physical Marauder. Remus doubted the pureblooded boy got many hugs at home, so it was only natural that he'd make up for it with friends.

An indrawn breath of realization from the other chair, a rustle of cloth, and the werewolf was enfolded in comforting arms and that distinctive vanilla-spice-musk scent that identified Sirius. "Bet Prongs forgot about you and tight spaces, didn't he? Just relax, Rem. Think of it as a puzzle you have to solve. You're good at puzzles. Heck, with both of us working on it, we'll be able to get out of here in no time. Imagine the look on James's face when we beat him back to the common room."

Against Remus's better judgment, he leaned into the embrace, burying his face in the proffered shoulder. He was trembling with desire, but Sirius must have assumed it was fear, because the hug tightened and his soothing voice continued. The werewolf sobbed with the pain of pent-up emotions, and finally quieted, still clinging to his friend. "I'm going to kill him when we get out of here."

Sirius's bark of sympathetic laughter calmed Remus more than anything else could have. Except possibly escaping. "Save some of him for me, Moony. But first, we have to get out of this closet."

Out of the… Remus stiffened and writhed out of Sirius's arms as an epiphany hit him. He knew what charm Lily had used, and how to break it. And that Sirius would never speak to him again after they were out.

Or would he? An obnoxious little mental voice provided a litany of all the times the handsome animagus had gone out of his way to touch Remus. To hug him, to brush against him, to sit in his lap playfully, to pretend-flirt. It had been especially pronounced in the past two days. Sirius and James had argued about something, and one of the many results was that Remus woke the next morning with a black dog washing his face enthusiastically. This morning had come with Sirius pouncing and tickling.

Remus let out his breath in a hiss and narrowed his eyes at the puzzled boy leaning toward him. "What exactly do you know about this, Sirius?"

The smile on the handsome face was entirely unconvincing. As was his response. "Know about what? Have you figured out how we're supposed to get out of here?"

"Yes. I have." Remus's evil smile revealed delicately pointed canines that were usually kept hidden behind habitual shyness. "First, you have to tell me what you and James talked about the other day that's put you in such high spirits."

Sirius was definitely nervous now, a fact which secretly filled Remus's heart with glee. "I… erm… we… dammit. James said… James said he thought… and Lily thought… thatyoumightfancyme."

"I… see." The bright red of Sirius's face was very gratifying, but it didn't yet make up for two days of sexual frustration wherein Sirius must have known how Remus felt… and had chosen to torment him instead of getting things out in the open. "So the three of you decided to lock us in here rather than, oh, I don't know, _asking me_?"

"This wasn't my idea, I swear! James and Lily came up with it…" The animagus was squirming now, and staring at his hands as they twisted together in his lap. Remus waited patiently for him to continue, half afraid that he was going to have a heart attack from the painful thudding in his chest. Sirius's next words were barely whispered, but Remus heard them more clearly than a shout. "And I was afraid you'd say no."

The distance between them was closed in a moment, and Remus had a hand cupped around his friend's chin, lifting tarnished silver eyes to meet his. Sirius was even beautiful when he was crying. Tears sparkled on his lashes, and somehow his nose didn't go all red and puffy from sniffling. Remus's breath caught at the beauty, and he smiled slowly. "But if you don't ask, how can I say yes?"

"You mean…" Hope brought silver sparkles out from behind the frightened tarnish. Remus almost laughed, and did smile wider. Werewolves were supposed to have an aversion to silver, not an attraction. The smile must have given Sirius confidence, because he looked steadily into Remus's eyes. "Remus… Moony… do you fancy me? Because I think I might be in love with you."

"I don't think I'm in love with you, Padfoot." Remus moved closer as Sirius tried to pull away in dismay. "I don't think I'm in love with you. I know I am."

Silver eyes widened in shock, and arms wrapped around Remus, pressing him against the other boy's lean hard body. Their lips met, surrounding the werewolf in a world of sensations. The kiss was… indescribable. Perfect. More than perfect. Remus lost himself in the soft lips, exploring tongues, silken hair and eager hands until his lungs burned from lack of oxygen. They both pulled away at the same time, panting and euphoric.

Lips wandered across Remus's cheek, finally resting beside his ear. A contented sound preceded a soft chuckle, both of them sending chills down his spine. "You know, James is probably expecting us to get back in a few minutes, despite all his preparations. Why don't we make him sweat a little, and stay here all night?"

"Mmm… it would serve you both right. He deserves a little worrying after locking you in a closet with a sexually frustrated werewolf." Remus's mouth found the pulse point on Sirius's neck and closed over it, licking and sucking. It would be a very nice hickey when he was done, and the moans were a bonus. "And you deserve to spend the night here because you're the reason I'm sexually frustrated."

Neither of them said much after that comment. Nothing coherent, at any rate.

**_Gee, wonder what they're doing… Mweheheh. And this chapter is now officially the longest in the fic. Once I get started writing fluff it's hard to stop. I considered going into more detail, but I don't feel like changing the rating of my story, and I'm not good at sex scenes without a co-writer. Anyway, go review now! Oh, and next chapter, James sweats._**


	7. Waiting

**_Wow. I profusely apologize for the unannounced hiatus. Sickness plus preparations for three Thanksgiving dinners leaves little to no time for Wyrms to write. However, I'm here now, with the much-anticipated next chapter! Yaaay!_**

_**First, thank you to my long-suffering readers!**_

_**sexyteluguchica: **I'm so happy they're finally together! Oh, and there are two chapters after this one._

_**writerauthorguy: **I really really really didn't mean to have so long a gap between chapters. Here! Maybe this will help fill the hole in your head!_

_**sesshomaruhasafluffytail: **Look! Next chapter! Aaand they're still in the closet! _

_**gillian86: **Wait no more! It's here!_

_**keisan: **Heheh… the 'come out of the closet' idea really amused me, but I think it needed Lily's touches to keep it from being a disaster. Although we still don't know what Moony and Padfoot are gonna do to James when they get out. Hmm… there might be another fic in that somewhere… Nooo! Not another fic! AAAGH! –Dies-_

_**nayla: **Mush? Yay! That means I'm doing my job right!_

_**Reyna: **I take it you approve? Oh, and sorry about the cliffhanger in chapter five. But hey! You're caught up!_

_**TrunkZy: **Eh, writing romantic suspense is haaard. And besides, poor Remus is claustrophobic. Although I think he forgot about that after they kissed. Mweheh._

_**gatermage: **Just a little sweat. And not all of it's over his fellow marauders. _

_**SilverStar24: **You mean you liked my characterization of Sirius? He's so… fun:-P_

_**S.c.ou.s.er.4.li.f.e: **Eh, I don't generally care for films based on books. I go to see them all the time, but I come home and gripe and moan about the inconsistencies that could have been fixed by five minutes in makeup._

_**BookwormRose: **Yes… and besides, it's much better to leave it up to the imagination. The trick of dialogue with me is that I'm a very visual person. I tend to spend a lot of time on how people see the world around them rather than how they talk. I think it comes of being raised by two people with hearing disabilities._

_**HanSolosGal: **YAY? YAY!_

_**Tanya J. Potter: **Eeep. Sorry it took so long! But he'll sweat, I promise!_

_**uknowho: **I made Voldie happy! Bwahahahahahahaha!_

_**Becky Silver Black: **I stole it from The Princess Bride, of course. And everyone gives James the middle name of Harry or Harold. I thought I'd go out on a limb and be creative! Chocolate! Whee! And the puppydog eyes always work on me. Always. Except when I have a horde of relatives to feed. Then the system breaks down._

_**Okay, then… erm… Ah, heck, you all know the disclaimers.**_

James lay in bed, staring at the clock. 11:42. Sirius and Remus had been locked up for two hours. Something was obviously wrong. The charm Lily had put on the door was simple. All they had to do was admit how they felt about each other, and he'd already told Padfoot that they were going to be set up. It should have been simple. They should have been back ages ago.

Sighing, James fumbled on the nightstand for his glasses. There was no point in pretending to sleep anymore, and he couldn't really sleep if he didn't want to wake up with green hair or worse as revenge for locking his friends in the closet. Rolling out of bed, his feet found a pair of slippers to protect them from the cold floor while he pulled on a sweater over his pajamas. A quick rummage through his trunk later, and James was ready to head downstairs.

As he opened the door, Peter rolled over in bed and muttered, "Knight to Queen four…"

James chuckled all the way to the common room. He was happy for the less-gifted boy. Peter needed something that he could do better than anyone else, and if chess was it, then his friend was delighted. It had to be hard on a guy when all his friends were clever, handsome, and talented. Although James knew Peter had his own little following, among those girls who were intimidated by Sirius's looks, aware of James's adulation of Lily, and frustrated by Remus's calm obliviousness.

Sitting down on a comfortable couch in front of the fire, James pulled out the things he'd fetched from his trunk. First, the map, to check on his friends. He muttered the password, and flipped through to the closet they'd been left in, frowning when he saw they were still there. At least, their names were. The dots labeled 'Moony' and 'Padfoot' were almost superimposed over one another. Now why… Oh. Eewww.

James glared at the map. He really didn't need that mental image. In all the plotting to get Remus and Sirius together, it had never occurred to him to think about them kissing… or worse. Resolutely, he held the vision of his two best friends snogging in front of his mind until it was no longer disgusting. It was only logical, after all. He couldn't be supportive of them if he couldn't stand to see them kissing.

They were going to need support, too. Sirius had already run away from home, and the Potters wouldn't care, so that was alright. Remus never talked about his family, which led James to suspect they weren't on the best of terms. Another quirk in their son's character couldn't make things that much worse. It was at school that they'd have real trouble. The Slytherins would jump at having one more reason to torment the pair. If, of course, they were feeling particularly brave. No one in his right mind would go up against Sirius alone, and it was a little-known fact that Remus was an even better dueler than the handsome pureblood.

Yes, they could take care of themselves. But James would make it a point to be around, just in case. He assured the map that his mischief was managed, and relaxed into the embrace of the comfy couch, pulling out another piece of parchment.

It was unfolded almost reverently to reveal an unfinished but lifelike sketch of a certain redhead. Hours upon hours had gone into its composition, and James worked on it every time he had a spare moment in private. It was perfect. Last time he'd managed to get her eyes just right. Crinkled a little at the corners as she smiled, and tilted just so. All that was left was her lips. They were already lightly outlined. They just needed some shading and shaping. Sighing softly, James produced a pencil from somewhere and went to work.

Two hours later, the portrait was complete, and a name had been added in ornate calligraphy across the bottom of the parchment. A simple title, for all the work that had gone into the picture. 'Lily Evans Potter.'

James smiled triumphantly at the picture, dividing his attention between it and the hypnotic crackle of the fire. The wavering light of flames on the sketch gave the illusion of motion. Or was it an illusion? Delicately shaded lips smiled, and carefully drawn eyes winked at him. A blush started in the cheeks of the drawing, and somehow spread, leaving behind the vivid coloring of Lily. The words came from his mouth without stopping by his brain for approval. "Lily, would you go out with me?"

"Of course, James. But first, there's something I've always wanted to tell you…" The sketch-Lily leaned closer, smiling sweetly. His breath caught in his throat and he leaned forward himself, rubbing his suddenly sweaty palms against his knees to dry them.

"Yes, Lily?"

"I just love your slippers." James jumped as a body plopping onto the couch beside him shattered the pleasant dream. The real Lily was in front of him, looking amazingly beautiful with her hair in sleepy disarray and a purple blanket pulled around her shoulders. A frantic look around established that the picture was nowhere in sight, and he relaxed a little, smiling at her.

"I must have fallen asleep."

Her answering grin was ravishing. "Sorry. I take it the lovebirds haven't returned yet?"

"No, I'm actually starting to get a little worried about them." James tilted his head thoughtfully. "Not worried enough to go check on them, though."

Lily blushed and giggled. "Yeah… erm… You didn't hear me when I complimented your slippers, did you?"

Gratefully seizing the change of subject, he looked down at the fluffy pink things on his feet, noticing that hers were identical. "Peter gave them to me. They're warm, and my old ones had holes. They look much better on you, though."

"I don't know who gave me these. They were in an anonymous package Christmas morning. I've always wanted a pair of pink fuzzy slippers, so…" Her giggles were like music to James. He could listen to them all day. Or night, as the case may be. "If I figure out who gave them to me, I'll have to do something nice for them. I really like them."

James located the sketch while they speculated on the identity of Lily's secret Santa. It had slipped mostly under a chair, face down. He was so busy thanking all his lucky stars that she hadn't seen it that it came as a surprise when Lily dozed off. Smiling sympathetically, he leaned over to adjust her blanket so she wouldn't wake up cold, and was surprised when she wrapped her arms around his waist and snuggled comfortably against his chest. After a moment of trepidation, he gave in to temptation and returned the embrace, leaning back against the cushions and pulling her closer.

Her hair smelled like apples, and was soft against his hands. Looking down into her serene face, James couldn't pass up the chance to do something he'd wanted to do for years. All it took was tilting his head forward a few inches, and his lips brushed against her forehead. His voice came out in a husky whisper. "You may not believe it, but I love you, Lily."

Some day maybe he could hold her like this when she was awake… But for now, he'd take what he had. Closing his eyes and concentrating on the warm body in his arms, James relaxed and drifted off to sleep.

**_Le sigh. Poor James. For some reason I view him as being a bit more innocent than Moony and Padfoot. At least as far as romance goes. I don't remember whose fic it was that I was reading, but I recall someone once proposing that James was the last Marauder to lose his virginity, and frankly, I think it fits him perfectly. _**

**_I've still got a little Thanksgiving activity going on, but I'll get out the next chapter as soon as I can! However, if you get bored in the meanwhile, check out A Feast in Azkaban. Nyx Fixx is awesome! http/_**


	8. Orchids

**_Hmm… My schedule's getting crowded. But I refuse to stop writing. And I promise I'll finish this story before the week is out. Oh, and Boy Who Lived readers, the sequel will start Friday! _**

**_I have 105 reviews for this story! Woohoo! So, here's thanks to the latest batch!_**

_**The Naz: **I can't help it. I like the name Inigo. And it's much more fun than 'Harold.'_

_**shady gurl: **They'll be out of the literal closet in this chapter. The metaphorical closet… not sure yet._

_**Bookworm Rose: **Speechless is goooood! And I PROMISE they'll end up before I run out of chapters! That's the point of this whole bit of fluff, is pairing people off. Poor Peter, though. I don't have anyone for him. Guess he'll just have to have his chessboard._

_**CaptainSatsuma: **Well, it's a slow update as far as this story goes, but a fast one as far as most fics are. _

_**sesshomaruhasafluffytail: **Huzzah!_

_**Tanya J Potter: **Of course she'll find the portrait. It wouldn't be nearly awkward enough otherwise._

_**TrunkZy: **I personally have no problem with green hair. One of my fave RP chars has green hair, in fact. But a Gryffindor wouldn't want to walk about with green hair, most likely._

_**S.c.ou.s.er.4.li.f.e: **I'm quite fond of the word brilliant… but sometimes I feel sorry for it's neglected cousins. Let's start a campaign to bring them into more common use! Come on, people give these words a chance: coruscating, effulgent, fulgent, incandescent, lambent, lucent, refulgent, and scintillating! … And now they're trying to take away my Pixie Stix. Nooo! My precious!_

_**Becky Silver Black: **OoooOOOoooo! CANDY CANES! Almost as good as crack-inna-straw… I mean… Pixie Stix. Yes. Mmm, chemically-enhanced colored sugar. :3_

_**SlashyKitty: **Heheh… I debated a looooong time before putting the closet part in. But I decided the fun was worth the cliché._

_**uknowho: **Well, there is a confrontation, and it is awkward. Good you'll have to judge for yourself!_

_**Grim Lupine: **Well, if you think about it, he had better raising than Sirius did, so…_

_**HanSolosGal: **Yeees. Only he's about as slow about it as I am. But at least he can draw people. I sure can't._

_**I love my reviewers! Aaand… (Insert disclaimers and warnings here). Onward!**_

Lily had never been one to dawdle about waking up. When she was awake, she was completely awake, even if she chose to stay in bed for a little while longer. Only this morning she was most definitely _not_ in her bed. She was, in fact, on a couch in the common room snuggled close to _James._ And it was wonderful.

This was the closest she'd ever been to the dark-haired boy, and it was an educational experience. Up close he smelled like grass and cologne and athletic maleness. His arms around her were surprisingly gentle and strange as it sounded, gentlemanly. For some reason she would have expected him to try to cop a feel. Instead, his hands were at her waist and shoulders, respectively. She could feel his heart beating under her cheek, keeping almost perfect time with hers.

It would be very nice to lie here like this forever.

She stirred a little, and his hand moved off her shoulder. Green eyes opened in dismay, afraid he was waking up and the moment was coming to an end, but the hand simply fell limply off the edge of the couch. Lazily, Lily studied the strong sinewy hand, with its well-defined angles and chewed-off fingernails. He only bit them when he was studying for potions… Sweet Merlin, she was obsessed.

While her mind was trying to process that fact, a motion caught her attention. At first she thought it was a rat, but apparently it was simply a draft that had blown through and disturbed a piece of parchment on the floor. Curiosity finally got the better of her, and Lily reluctantly slipped out of James's embrace to look at the scrap of paper. She turned it over and her eyes widened.

It was like looking into a mirror. The paper-Lily laughed up out of the page, her eyes sparkling. Tucked behind one ear was a perfectly-drawn orchid. How did James know what her favorite flower was? There was no question of the artist. No one else would have written 'Lily Evans Potter' across the bottom of the page. She was still trying to decide what to think when the portrait-hole opened.

Remus and Sirius entered, looking exceedingly happy and slightly disheveled. Lily was relieved; having secretly feared the pair wouldn't admit their true feelings and therefore break the spell. They spotted the sleeping James, exchanged mischievous smirks, and pounced. James yelped in shock and terror as he awoke with his throat in the hands of an apparently enraged Remus. Tossing sandy hair out of his eyes, the sickly-looking boy snarled, "I just spent eight hours in a very small room, and _someone_ seems to have forgotten that I'm _claustrophobic_!"

Lily tried not to laugh, certain that they were just trying to frighten James for locking them up. And succeeding, somewhat. The bespectacled boy looked horrified, not at the hands encircling his throat, but at the fact that he'd put his friend in a closed space. Rather than asking for mercy, he was babbling apologies. "I can't believe I forgot. I'm sorry!"

Whatever else he said was lost as Sirius spotted Lily. Hidden from James's view by the slender frame of his new boyfriend, the handsome pureblood gave her a look of pure gratitude, and she found herself smiling back. He mouthed a 'thank you,' and then his eyes went impish. A nod toward Remus shifted her attention back to their 'conversation,' which still consisted of apologies and growls.

A few moments of the rather repetitive exchange left Lily wondering why she was supposed to be listening. It did, however, give an interesting insight into Remus's personality. She'd never have guessed that the quiet boy had such an aggressive side to him. And James actually believed that Remus could hurt him if given a reason. Definitely odd.

Suddenly the entire situation changed. James was in the middle of yet another apology when Remus suddenly stiffened, his eyes rolling back into his head. A low purring moan issued from his throat, and his lips curled up into a smile. The cause of the reversal was obvious—Sirius's arms had snaked around the slender boy's waist, and his teeth nibbled an earlobe.

As the hands fell away from his throat, James raised an eyebrow and smirked up at his friends. Reluctantly, Remus pulled away from the nibbling and gave James an arch little smile, and his voice came out as almost a purr. "I do have to thank you, James. If it hadn't been for you locking us in the closet, I'd never have known just how clever Sirius's mouth can be."

It was hard to tell whether it was the innuendo or Lily's scandalized giggle that made James turn bright red and splutter. The messy-haired boy hadn't known she was there, for certain. He looked toward her, and his eyes went slightly wild when he saw the parchment still in her hands. Sirius followed his gaze, and grinned at her. "I see you found his masterwork. Is it finally finished?"

Blushing, she held it out to them, and Remus caught it before James could intercept. After a moment of scrutiny, he stood up, handing the parchment back to Lily.

"Mister Padfoot, I believe we should leave these two alone. They have a great deal to discuss." Sirius might have argued, but Remus took hold of his tie and used it to pull him toward the stairs. They paused on the first step, and Lily found herself under the intense scrutiny of liquid amber eyes. One of them slowly winked at her, then both boys turned and continued up the stairs, but Remus called over his shoulder. "You two play nice, now. And there's a very comfortable closet on third floor, if you need one."

Unable to look at James for embarrassment, Lily watched as the heartthrob of Gryffindor followed after the scholarly boy like a puppy. There were going to be so many disappointed girls when that relationship became public. Especially since Remus was almost as sought after as Sirius, whether he knew it or not. Most girls had given up on James because of his fixation. Which brought her back to the subject she wasn't entirely ready to face.

The silence lengthened unbearably, and Lily found herself studying the parchment. Finally, as often happens in these situations, she blurted out the first thing that came to mind. "How did you know orchids are my favorite flowers?"

"I asked Rory about it, actually. I don't know how she knew." James suddenly seemed to find his hands fascinating, and the awkward silence descended again.

Desperate to end the unbearably loud quiet, Lily started to ask a question she wouldn't normally have asked. "James, do you--…"

"I was wondering--…" He'd begun at the same time, and they both stopped to laugh nervously. "Ladies first."

"I… Well, there's a Hogsmeade weekend coming up soon, and… Would you like to go with me?" She twiddled nervously with a lock of auburn hair, trying to become accustomed to the fact that she, Lily Evans, had just asked out the boy she'd devoted her entire school career to avoiding.

The look on his face left little room for her to be embarrassed, though. He was practically incandescent with happiness, but he answered simply, "I'd like that very much."

"So would I…" Lily startled as the clock began chiming six. "I should go upstairs and take a nap while it's still quiet…"

As she stood, she remembered the parchment still in her hands. Blushing again, she stepped over and held it out to him. When his hand closed over it, she gave in to another impulse, and swooped in to kiss him on the cheek before scampering up the stairs. A last glance over her shoulder revealed James staring after her, his hand on his cheek and looking like he'd just been given the key to heaven.

**_Awwww… Yay! I finally got James and Lily together. Certainly took long enough. Their relationship seems to be just a bit more innocent than Sirius and Remus's. Poor James, though. I think he'll probably be frozen like that until someone comes and snaps him out of it. Anyway, next chapter is the epilogue! This story is almost finished! -Sniffle-._**


	9. Checkmate

**_Well, here it is my lovelies. The last chapter. Weighing in at 120 reviews. This chapter is dedicated to aaaall of my beautiful reviewers. I couldn't have done it without you!_**

_**sesshomaruhasafluffytail: **XP_

_**SlashyKitty: **I had fun with Remus taunting James. But not nearly as much fun as Sirius shutting Remus up. Mweheh. But yes, the story has come to an end, and we must needs have an epilogue. I think you'll like the epilogue, though… I had lots of fun writing it._

_**gatermage: **Sorry. But my next fic has just started, and it can be viewed as the future of this fic if you like! Hate to disappoint you, but I'm not going to give up James's innocence quite yet. It's so kyoot, after all. _

_**Rambie: **Stinger-filled dogs? o.0 Scaaaaaary._

_**uknowho: **Well, we knew she couldn't hold out forever…_

_**Miranda: **They are precious, aren't they? So much fun to make them be awkward._

_**Becky Silver Black: **Before this one, my best was 37 reviews, for Boy Who Lived. But you should remember, this may be the end of one fic, but that only means I'm about to move on to another! And in this case, the other is the seeeequel! Whee! -absconds with the sweets to go get a sugar high!-_

_**sexyteluguchica: **I don't know if I'll do a sequel for this one. I'm not sure where I'd take it, and if I don't have a definite plan beforehand, I generally end up abandoning a fic. _

_**shayacatalystscifigirl: **Hmm… I think I'll buy SeamusxDean… I never considered that pairing before. And I'll have to look at Icarus's work. But I'm glad you like my fic! I'm just sorry that it's ending. However, it makes me happy to end a fic while I still find it interesting. It means people are more likely to enjoy it. And I have plans for future fics. So we'll see._

_**harrypotterisawful: **Okay, so… first off, I'm not sure why you're reading my fic in the first place if you don't like Harry Potter. It just so happens that I do like the books, and as they're designed for children, you don't really need much character depth or development. Second, stand by while I analyze your review for grammar and logical consistency. Calculating grade… 50. Fix the punctuation and we'll bump it up to a passing grade, but the gaps in your logic weaken your argument by at least thirty points._

_**BookwormRose: **Yay! Laughter! That's what I like to hear! I hope this chapter will at least make you giggle some. And yes, there will be a new story. Maybe two, I won't be sure until I've had the first one going for a bit._

_**Laurie: **I'm chocolate? Better not tell me that. I might eat myself, and then how would I type? But I'm glad I'm your fix!_

_**S.c.ou.s.er.4.li.f.e: **I'm lovin it, too. I've said it before, but I had lots and lots of fun writing the epilogue. I enjoyed writing all the chapters, but for some reason this one made me particularly grin._

_**CaptainSatsuma: **All good things must end, I'm afraid. I'm glad you thought they were sweet, though. It was much fun writing them._

_**And now, for the last time in this fic, not mine, slash warning, and please review/flame.**_

The Gryffindor common room was filled with cheerful conversations and floating pink hearts. Valentines Day had dawned bright and sunny, lifting already-high spirits. Students murmured and giggled in pairs and in groups, more than ready for the Hogsmeade trip a little later in the day.

Peter sat at his chessboard in the corner, surveying the room while he waited for his turn. A group of girls caught his eye as they sat sullenly spying on Remus and Sirius. Peter's two friends were oblivious, tangled together in a chair and gazing into each other's eyes. The rat-animagus found it amazing how many girls had suddenly gone into deep mourning when Gryffindor's two most eligible bachelors had come out of the closet—both literally and figuratively.

It had been amusing watching James and Lily come up with that plan. Although another day or two and Peter would have gotten them together on his own. The cinnamon-scented ink had been a stroke of genius, if he did say so himself. So simple, and a logical present for Remus, who was always running out. Sirius's reaction had been beautiful. And Remus had started to get curious about the journal. The plan had been to leave the little book open to an incriminating page where the werewolf couldn't help but see it.

Inwardly, Peter sighed. He'd had a bet with himself as to which one of them would crack first, but James and Lily had taken away his chance to find out. Speaking of James and Lily… It only took a brief scan of the room to spot them. They were sitting together on a couch, looking through a photo album. Lily's cheek rested against James's shoulder, and she had several green orchids fastened in her hair, taken from the huge bouquet of the exotic flowers the bespectacled boy had given her for Valentine's. Peter noted with amusement that they were also both wearing the pink fuzzy slippers.

Plotting to get those two together had been much more difficult than Sirius and Remus. The two 'puppies,' as James had taken to calling them, were simple. Pawns, or perhaps rooks. They were both strongly influenced by their canine alter egos, and went straight for what they wanted, just like rooks. The only thing holding them back was a fear of sacrificing themselves for naught.

James, on the other hand, was a knight. He moved indirectly and often hovered around his goal, looking for the best approach. Really he was the perfect foil for Lily's queen, able to go swiftly in any direction to avoid being captured. The trick had been getting them out of their habits and showing them that they had things in common. The fluffy pink slippers had been a start. Lily may not have realized it, but the fact that James was secure enough to actually wear the girlie things had impressed her and eroded some of her mental image of him as an arrogant prat. And the fact that Lily had an identical pair guaranteed that James would wear them every chance he got.

It had cost Peter an entire box of chocolate frogs to bribe Lily's friend Rory to sneak the slippers into the redhead's pile of gifts without an explanation of _why_ it was so important that she get them. The arguing had stopped when he'd accidentally let slip about Sirius and Remus. Apparently there had been a school-wide betting pool devoted to who would finally get Remus on the dating scene. His tip had helped the quirky girl collect the entire pot, which she'd cheerfully split with Peter, despite his protests.

The slippers had broken the ice, though, and enabled Peter to move on to less subtle plotting. It had taken him forever to bring James's masterpiece to Lily's attention, but he didn't think she'd seen him. The portrait was very good, though, and the obvious loving attention that had gone into it had dealt a death-blow to the redhead's defenses. The kiss and run—and the look on Prongs's face as Lily ran away—had left Peter grinning for hours. That exchange had gone almost exactly as he'd planned it, even down to the reversal of roles as Lily asked James out.

One bit of the exchange had puzzled him, though. He hadn't known that Lily liked orchids, or ever thought about figuring out her favorite flower at all. James said Rory had told him… Peter turned his scrutiny to his chess opponent, who was biting her lower lip in thought as she considered her move. Maybe he wasn't the only plotter here. And maybe she'd be interested in helping him with future plans. For that matter, she was awfully pretty. It was just on the tip of his tongue to ask if she had any plans for the day when she looked up and met his eyes with a smile before announcing her move.

"Bishop to King two. Checkmate."

**_So, be honest, who actually guessed that Peter was masterminding it all? I tried to drop hints throughout the story, but I'm not sure anyone actually knew. Dance, puppets, dance!_**

**_And in case anyone noticed, yes I have used the name Rory before. I really adore that name, and I have several characters who use it. I'm not quite sure how she wormed her way into this fic, but… I've got no complaints! This Rory isn't necessarily the same Rory who appears in Boy Who Lived, if you want to interpret her that way, feel free! _**

**_And this story is ended. Le sigh. What a pity. But! I've just started the sequel to Boy Who Lived: Take Two! It's called, creatively, Take Two: Boy Who Lived. Reeeeeeead it!_**


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